THE MODERN HISTORY OF SILK. 169 



to revive the produce of Silk Worms in England, by 

 granting to Walter Aston the keeping of the garden, 

 which had been established near St James's, in the 

 county of Middlesex, for the rearing of Silk Worms, 

 which had still been partially maintained. This 

 attempt was again rendered abortive, from cold 

 seasons, and other causes. 



The rearing of the Worm seems to have been in a 

 dormant state, from the above period, for nearly ninety 

 years, when King George I. granted a patent to John 

 Appleton, for the producing of raw silk in England. 

 This gentleman was to raise the funds necessary for 

 this purpose, by a joint stock concern, the capital of 

 which was to be divided into five pound shares. A 

 lease of Chelsea Park was obtained for the period of 

 one hundred and twenty-two years, and two thousand 

 mulberry trees were planted, as a small portion of 

 what was ultimately intended. Various large factories 

 were built ; but this large establishment was soon 

 abandoned, and the experiment proved as unsuccessful 

 as the previous ones made to raise the Silk Worm in 

 this country. The highest expectations were conceived 

 of this project, and Henry Barham, a shareholder, 

 wrote and published an essay, wherein he attempted to 

 shew that all the former attempts had been rendered 

 abortive from mismanagement ; and gave it as his 

 opinion, that the objections then thrown out, as to 

 the ultimate success of " this glorious undertaking," 

 were not worthy of refutation. 



King George looked with a favourable eye towards 

 the encouragement of the breeding of Silk Worms ; 



VOL. II. M 



